Another week had passed and Buffy hadn't done a thing. She hadn't talked to Riley, she hadn't seen Angel again and she'd totally neglected her studying for pondering. She had stayed at home mostly again but now it wasn't because of her mom - now it was to avoid Riley.

She couldn't face him. When he called she usually said she was swamped with work or had her mom tell him she was asleep or out. She knew it wasn't fair but she couldn't help it. He'd come over one night and then she hadn't been able to avoid him. They'd watched movies but then she'd said she was tired and that she had to go to be and had sent him home. He'd been disappointed but he hadn't pushed her to talk about it.

But it wasn't the guilt to Riley that was killing her, it was the lack of Angel. She thought about him every minute of the day. Almost anyway, and she knew she was falling in love with him. She was even dreaming about him all nights.

She wondered what he felt for her and if he was interested. She thought about going to the Bronze every single night. But she never did.

Today it was Friday. Most students would be going out tonight and it would be totally lame to stay home. She didn't feel like staying home either. Waiting for a call from Faith that never came.

Buffy hadn't realised how much time she usually spent with her sister. Her life wasn't empty but it was much emptier without Faith. Some nights she'd even gone into her sisters room and fallen asleep in her bed. They'd done that when they were younger and scared, or when their parents had been fighting.

Faith had always been her protector. After the divorce Faith had gone wild - she'd gotten a lot of rage and suddenly nothing was good enough for her. She and Buffy had drifted apart slightly but mostly Faith had drifted away from their parents. She was still really mad at them and Buffy knew it.

Buffy was standing in front of her closet trying to figure out what to wear. She was going to have to break up with Riley tonight - or in the morning. The first thing she'd do was walk over to his place and talk about it with him. Or maybe Sunday was better?

She turned her concentration towards the closet again. What would Angel find sexy? She chose a pair of black satin pants with cute sandals to them. She didn't want to disappear in the dim lights of the bronze so to it she chose a blue, slinky tank top. She let her hair hang free and then nodded satisfied.

She looked good. Casual, grown up good. She took her purse and walked downstairs to grab her coat.

"Mom, I'm going to the Bronze." She alreted her mother.

"Okay, don't be too late. And honey..." Her mother came to her. "Could you stay home tomorrow? You know that I'm going to San Francisco on Sunday, if Faith calls..."

"I know I know, I'll find out where she lives. What her number is, if she's safe ... I'll ask her everyhing we talked about."

Joyce hugged her. "Thank you honey, are you sure I should go on this trip?"

Buffy nodded. "It'll be good for you and I'll be fine."

Her mother nodded. "Okay, well don't be late. "

"I wont." Buffy promised before going outside and walked to the Bronze. Faith always had preferred walking, but then again she was fearless.

When Buffy made it there she was glad to see Willow, Tara, Xander and Anya sitting in a couch. She walked up to them.

"Hi guys." She said and Willow smiled big.

"Told you she'd show." She said to Xander who nodded defeated.

"What?" Buffy asked.

"Oh, Xander wanted us to go get you by force again but I convinced him that you'd show all by yourself this time." Willow explained as Buffy sat down.

"Sunnydale, Friday night - no frat parties - where else would I be?"

Xander grinned. "The fact that you have a crush on the new bartender has nothing to do with it?" He asked and Buffy glared at Willow for telling him.

Anya looked confused. "You and Riley broke up?"

Buffy shook her head. "No we didn't and I do not have a crush on the bartender. Now excuse me, I'm going to get a drink."

She walked up to the bar and was disappointed when it wasn't Angel that came up to her.

"Is Angel here?" She asked and he shook his head.

"Don't think so ...or maybe he's in the back. If you want to say hi you could go check."

Buffy nodded thankful and walked into the back of the club. She spotted Angel talking to another guy and waved. He said something to the other guy before coming up to her wiht a smile on his face.

"Hi Buffy." He said and she smiled too.

"Hi, I just wanted to say hi. I was at the bar ... and you weren't there and ... yeah so Hi!" She felt like a babbling idiot but Angel just smiled watching her tentevly.

"It's my night off. I was just here to pick up my pay check ..... do you .....want to do something?" He asked and Buffy smiled widely.

"Sure."

They stared at each other for couple of minutes until Angel smiled amused. "So do you want to go now or?"

Buffy felt a blush coming on again. "Yeah, eh ... where to?" They walked out into the crowd again when the song Lucky Ones with Bif Naked started to play.

"This song is great." Buffy said looking up at him.

"Dance?" Angel asked and she nodded and slid into his arms like she belong there and nowhere else. She glanced up at him with a tender smile.

//It was a Monday when my lover told me never pay the Reaper with ... love only. What could I say to you except I love you, and I give my life for yours.

I know we are we, are the lucky ones, I know we are we, are the lucky ones. There, my dear//

Buffy slid closer towards Angel and felt her heart racing. The song lyrics went kind of into a big blur to her. She only heard the repeating off:

//I know we are we, are the lucky ones. I know we are we, are the lucky ones.

It's time to say ...thank God for you, I thank God for you ... in each and every single way. And I know, and I know...//

She looked up at him again and reached her head up so he could kiss her. Angel leaned down and their lips met gently. Buffy was lost in time and place and only heard the song continue

//We are the lucky ones dear, we are the lucky ones dear...//

She slid her tongue into Angels mouth and felt like she was where she belonged.

The song ended and Buffy suddenly became aware of the fact that they weren't alone.

"What the hell ...Buffy?" She let go of Angel and turned around to see Riley looking at them with hurt eyes. He shook his head and disappeared into the crowd.

Buffy felt awful and unable to move. She still had her hands in Angel's and turned and faced him.

"Riley?" He asked somber and she nodded. He let go of her hands. "Go after him." He said but she hesitated. She didn't want to leave him .

"I'll be back," She said before running after her boyfriend.

She caught up with Riley right outside.

"Riley!" She called. "Please stop."

He granted her wish but turned around with a face full of rage. "Is this why you've been avoiding me? You're cheating on me?"

Buffy got tears in her eyes. "I haven't..." She started but didn't continue. She had kissed Angel twice and in her mind......she really was cheating on him. "Oh Riley I'm sorry."

He didn't want to hear her out. "Don't even go there. If you were so sorry why did you do it? Why Buffy?"

Buffy had a tear running down her cheek that she wiped. "We weren't happy, none of us. You can't really say that. We were on the verge of break up anyway ... I'm just the trigger now." She said but Riley shook his head.

"I was perfectly happy."

Buffy snorted. "Yeah? Well why then did you never want to spend time with me alone? Why did you never touch me? And you didn't even ask if I wanted to come to your brothers wedding. Riley you were not happy."

Riley listened carefully but then shook his head again. "That isn't true." He said and Buffy wiped her eyes again.

"Is so ..... can you even remember the last time you touched me more then a peck on the cheek? Or when we spent an evening alone?"

Riley got very quiet and she nodded.

"See! That's not being a perfectly happy couple."

Riley shook his head once more. "Explain away all you want Buffy but it doesn't help. If you really cared for me you would've come to me with these problems. You wouldn't have turned to another guy." He looked at her with hatred. "I can't even stand to look at you now." He said and walked to his car.

Buffy watched him drive away. She stood there still when he'd been gone a while. She stood there until Willow and Tara came out to get her.

"Are you okay Buffy?" Tara asked while Willow hugged her.

Buffy cried slowly. "No I'm not. I know I brought this on myself. ..but it hurts." She sniffled and Willow nodded understanding.

"We understand Buffy. Do you want us to take you home?"

Buffy nodded. She forgot about Angel and just went home and went to sleep.